The EU and Chemical Weapons

So, why does the EU deal with chemical weapons issues? The European Union started as a peace project. Still today, contributing to peace and security in Europe and beyond is a key part of the EU identity. People have the right to live free from the fear of deadly weapons, including chemical ones. They kill indiscriminately and cause immense human suffering. This is why eliminating these weapons is important to the EU.

European history also bears a despicable connection to chemical weapons. As you’ve learned in this unit, it was the European powers who first used these terrible weapons during World War I. I think this gives us a special responsibility to make sure that they are never used again.

What is the EU doing to enforce the ban on chemical weapons?

What is the EU doing to enforce the ban on chemical weapons? The EU, together with its Members, is the biggest supporter of the OPCW politically, diplomatically and financially. We cover a quarter of its regular budget and we have financed OPCW projects with almost 40 million euros.

This support allows the OPCW to verify that all stockpiles of chemical weapons are being destroyed and that chemicals are used only for peaceful purposes. EU funding helps the OPCW to protect us from chemical attacks by improving national capabilities and inspecting chemical production sites worldwide.

The EU is also very vocal about its support for the Chemical Weapons Convention and accountability for the use of chemical weapons. EU diplomats, including the High Representative, make it clear at every opportunity that we will not accept the use of chemical weapons anywhere, at any time, under any circumstances. And this is important because it sends a strong message that there will be no impunity for the perpetrators.

What challenges is the Chemical Weapons Convention facing?

So, what challenges is the Chemical Weapons Convention facing? Chemicals are omnipresent in our daily lives. There are new chemicals developed for commercial and medical purposes every day. The OPCW must be able to follow and adapt to these developments. Therefore, one of my favorite OPCW projects is the future, state-of-the-art science hub, the ChemTech Centre. It will be full of knowledge, tools and experts. It will help analyse the risks related to newly created chemicals, and train national experts in chemical safety and security. The EU and its member states together finance half of the Centre’s establishment cost.

The recent re-emergence of chemical weapons is challenging the credibility of the convention. It is most important to the EU that those who use these weapons are identified and face the consequences. And this is why the EU strongly supports the OPCW Investigation and Identification Team’s work on chemical weapons use in Syria.

And then another serious challenge are the constant cyber-attacks on the OPCW headquarters. To protect the Organisation and its investigations, the EU has decided to provide financial support to update the OPCW’s cybersecurity and information protection.